The present invention relates to a liquid cooling system for semiconductor devices and similar heat generating devices. More particularly, the invention relates to a liquid cooling system wherein jet impingement and channel flow combine to provide an improved cooling arrangement.
Numerous proposals have been made for removing the heat generated by semiconductor devices.
Chu et al. IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 31, No. 5, pp. 141-142 (October 1988), disclose a cooling apparatus wherein a heat spreader plate having cavities on its back side is placed in contact with a chip. The cavities are filled with hollow "pins". Within the hollow pins are placed tubes for supplying a cooling fluid. The cooling fluid impinges the inner surface of the hollow pins so as to dissipate heat from the spreader plate which, in turn, is generated by the chip.
Mittal U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,086 discloses an impingement cooling design wherein a heat spreader plate is in contact with a chip. A resilient bellows is utilized to maintain contact between the spreader plate and the chip. Within the bellows, a jet of coolant is impinged against the spreader plate to dissipate the heat generated by the chip.
Pellant et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,996 discloses a cooling element for semiconductor devices. The interior of the cooling element has protrusions which cause a whirling motion of the cooling fluid that is supplied to the cooling element. The exterior of the cooling element is planar and is placed against the semiconductor device.
Bland et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,171 discloses an impingement cooling apparatus. In this apparatus, an heat liberating device is placed against a housing which is impingement cooled from the back side.
Ostergren IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 27, pp. 494-495 (June 1984), discloses a cooling apparatus consisting of a cold plate in contact with a chip. The back side of the cold plate is impingement cooled.
Notwithstanding the advances made by the prior art cooling arrangements, there still remains a real need for improved cooling of heat generating semiconductor devices.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to have a cooling arrangement which takes advantage of impingement cooling and channel flow cooling to provide improved cooling of semiconductor devices.
This and other objects of the invention will become more apparent after referring to the following specification considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.